This and that זה וזאת
Hebrew points with זה for a masculine thing, זאת or זו for a feminine thing, and אלה for more than one. The same words also work as a copula: זה ספר means this is a book.
Use זה with masculine singular, זאת or זו with feminine singular, and אלה with a plural; after a definite noun they follow it as הספר הזה.
זה (ze) is masculine singular this. זאת (zot) is feminine singular this; זו (zo) is a very common spoken variant of the same slot. אלה (ele) covers these for both genders in ordinary speech. Learn זה / זאת / אלה as the first triangle.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | Use |
|---|---|---|
| זה | ze | this (masculine singular) |
| זאת | zot | this (feminine singular) |
| זו | zo | this (feminine singular, common in speech) |
| אלה | ele | these (plural) |
Before a noun, זה and זאת identify: זה ספר, זאת דירה. After a definite noun they modify: הספר הזה, הדירה הזאת, הילדים האלה. The after-noun pattern needs ה on the noun. Mixing the two frames is how you get a sentence when you wanted a phrase.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| זה ספר | ze sefer | This is a book. | |
| זאת דירה | zot dira | This is an apartment. | |
| הספר הזה | ha-sefer ha-ze | this book | |
| הדירה הזאת | ha-dira ha-zot | this apartment |
Textbook Hebrew has ההוא, ההיא, ההם, and ההן after a definite noun for that and those. They sound more pointed or more formal than זה. In everyday talk people often stretch זה / זאת / אלה to cover near and far and add a gesture. You still need ההוא for reading and for contrast.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| האיש ההוא | ha-ish ha-hu | that man | |
| האישה ההיא | ha-isha ha-hi | that woman | |
| הילדים ההם | ha-yeladim ha-hem | those children |
מה זה is the default what is this / what is that. מי זה asks who that is, often about a man or a mixed unknown; מי זאת can point at a woman. The answer usually starts with the matching demonstrative or with a name.
| Hebrew | Transliteration | English | |
|---|---|---|---|
| מה זה? | ma ze? | What is this? | |
| מי זאת? | mi zot? | Who is that (woman)? |
Exceptions
זה with a feminine noun in casual speech
You will hear זה דירה. Standard Hebrew wants זאת דירה or זו דירה. Keep the agreement in writing and in class; recognize the mismatch when you hear it. Teachers still mark זה plus a feminine noun as an error.
| זאת בעיה | zot be'aya | This is a problem. (standard) |
זו versus זאת
זו is short and common after a noun: השמלה הזו. זאת is common in identification: זאת השמלה. Both are feminine singular. You do not need a meaning difference; you need to recognize both spellings.
Common mistakes
זה דירה → זאת דירה
דירה is feminine; identification takes זאת (or זו), not זה.
ספר זה → הספר הזה
As a modifier, זה follows a definite noun: הספר הזה.
הילדות הזה → הילדות האלה
Plural nouns take אלה, not זה.
Go on to
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